DACCA: Members of the ruling Awami League have voted to give Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Mujibur Rahman blanket powers to deal with problems facing the country. An announcement issued after a … meeting of the parliamentary party … said the members had deliberated on all the outstanding problems of the country and have unanimously authorised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to take such steps as are necessary to resolve them. … A state of emergency was declared last month because of what the Government described as a state of lawlessness and internal subversion in the country, with secret killings. … The state of emergency regulations provide for the death penalty for people hoarding food or other basic commodities. — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Washington,] President Ford said … that the so-called “detente” between the United States and Soviet Union would continue despite the breakdown … of a proposed trade agreement between the two countries. “It’s my judgement that the detente with the Soviet Union will be continued. … I think it is in our interest and the interest of the [USSR].” Mr Ford said he was disappointed with the breakdown of the proposed trade agreement.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2025